Ahead of this Sunday’s highly anticipated AFL clash between Hawthorn and Richmond at the MCG, Hawthorn head coach Sam Mitchell has confirmed that star midfielder Will Day will miss the matchup, a casualty of a corked calf sustained during last week’s rain-soaked game against Carlton. Day had turned in consistent, impressive performances for the Hawks this season after working his way back from a long, frustrating run of prior injuries, quickly cementing himself as a core playmaker in the club’s midfield rotation. While the injury is minor, Mitchell confirmed that Day’s withdrawal aligns with a pre-planned rest strategy the club designed to manage the young midfielder’s workload as the regular season winds down and the finals series approaches. Speaking directly to fans and media to curb unnecessary speculation about the nature of Day’s injury, Mitchell said, “I just know you guys will want to speculate about a hundred things, so I’d rather do it on the record. He got a cork in the calf and he wasn’t going to be able to train today … we knew he wouldn’t play 14 straight, so we knew he’d have to miss a game at some stage. He’s got the corked calf, so he’ll miss this one unfortunately, but it was going to happen somewhere over the next month anyway.” Mitchell added that the club had always planned for Day to miss one regular season game in the coming four weeks to protect his fitness ahead of September, and the minor calf knock simply solidified the timing of his rest. While Hawthorn will be without one of its most dynamic midfield playmakers, the club is set to welcome back three key contributors to its lineup for the Richmond clash. Defender Josh Weddle returns to the side after completing a suspension, young forward Nick Watson is in line to make his comeback after managing nagging hamstring soreness, and utility Josh Battle has been cleared to return following a full recovery from appendicitis. Mitchell confirmed all three players will complete a full training session ahead of the game, and that they will take the field this Sunday if they get through the session without any issues. “(Watson) has to get through training and make sure he’s all good, but he’ll do full training, if he gets through that, he’ll play. I believe it’s the same (for Battle), I think he’s got full training ahead. If he gets through that, then he’ll play as well,” Mitchell said. The blockbuster matchup between Hawthorn and Richmond is set to kick off this Sunday at the MCG, with both teams vying for crucial momentum ahead of the 2024 AFL finals series.